Lineage. Constituted as 4 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 4 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 4 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Redesignated as 4 Fighter Squadron (All Weather) on 19 Dec 1946. Activated on 20 Feb 1947. Redesignated as: 4 Fighter Squadron, All Weather, on 10 Aug 1948; 4 Fighter-All Weather Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 4 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 25 Apr 1951; 4 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 20 Jun 1965; 4 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
Assignments. 52 Pursuit (later, 52 Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941–7 Nov 1945. 347 Fighter Group, 20 Feb 1947 (attached to 51 Fighter [later, 51 Fighter-Interceptor] Group), 20 Feb 1947–); Twentieth Air Force, 24 Jun 1950 (remained attached to 51 Fighter-Interceptor Group to 20 Sep 1950; 6302 Air Base Group, 20 Sep 1950–24 Jun 1951; and 6351 Air Base Wing, 25 Jun 1951–unkn); Japan Air Defense Force, 10 Aug 1954 (attached to 39 Air Division, 10 Aug 1954–); Fifth Air Force, 1 Sep 1954 (remained attached to 39 Air Division); 39 Air Division, 1 Mar 1955; 33 Tactical Fighter Wing, 20 Jun 1965; 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 12 Apr 1969; 432 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 432 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 31 Oct 1972; 388 Tactical Fighter (later, 388 Fighter) Wing, 23 Dec 1975 (attached to 388 Tactical Fighter Wing (Deployed) [later, 388 Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional)], 28 Aug 1990–27 Mar 1991); 388 Operations Group, 1 Dec 1991–.
Stations. Selfridge Field, MI, 15 Jan 1941; Langley Field, VA, 17 Dec 1941; Selfridge Field, MI, 14 Jan 1942; Florence, SC, 18 Feb 1942; Wilmington, NC, 27 Apr 1942; Grenier Field, NH, 12 Jun–19 Jul 1942; Northern Ireland, 19 Aug 1942; Goxhill, England, 25 Aug–29 Oct 1942 (air echelon arrived at Tafaraoui, Algeria, on 8 Nov 1942); La Senia, Algeria, 12 Nov 1942; Orleansville, Algeria, 1 Jan 1943; Telergma, Algeria, 19 Jan 1943; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, 8 Mar 1943; Le Sers, Tunisia, 12 Apr 1943; La Sebala, Tunisia, 20 May 1943; Boccadifalco, Sicily, 1 Aug 1943; Corsica, 4 Dec 1943; Madna Airfield, Italy, c. 14 May 1944; Piagiolino Airfield, Italy, c. 24 Apr 1945; Lesina, Italy, c. 10 Jul–Aug 1945; Drew Field, FL, 25 Aug–7 Nov 1945. Yontan AB, Okinawa, 20 Feb 1947; Naha AB, Okinawa, 19 Aug 1948; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 16 Feb 1953; Naha AB, Okinawa, 25 Feb 1954; Misawa AB, Japan, 1 Aug 1954–15 Jun 1965; Eglin AFB, FL, 20 Jun 1965–9 Apr 1969; Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 12 Apr 1969; Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 27 Jun 1972; Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 31 Oct 1972–23 Dec 1975; Hill AFB, UT, 23 Dec 1975– (deployed at Central AB, Al Minhad, United Arab Emirates, 28 Aug 1990–27 Mar 1991; Al Dhafra AB, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 12 Apr 2019-31 Oct 2019).
Service Streamers. Korean Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern
France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Ceasefire. Afghanistan: Consolidation III. Iraq: Governance; National Resolution; Surge; Sovereignty. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 9 Jun 1944; Rumania, 31 Aug 1944. Presidential Unit Citation: Southeast Asia, 1 Apr–26 Jun 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: [12 Apr 1969]–31 Jul 1969; 1 Aug 1969–1 Aug 1970; 2 Aug 1970–31 Mar 1972; 18 Dec 1972–27 Jan 1973; 1 Dec 1999-31 Mar 2000. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Oct 2010-30 Sep 2011; 7 Oct 2014-30 Apr 2015; 1 Jun 2015-31 May 2016. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1967–30 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1968–9 Apr 1969; 1 Oct 1986-30 Apr 1988; 1 May 1991-30 Apr 1993; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 2005-31 May 2007. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: [12 Apr 1969]–28 Jan 1973.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Honors through 24 Mar 2020.
Supersedes statement prepared on 30 Jun 2015.
Emblem. Approved on 25 Feb 1949; latest rendering, 24 May 2021.
Prepared by James M. Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.